Starting XI: SuperDraft, offseason chatter nears fever pitch

They've gotten some grief in past years, so this time around let's give MLS schedule-makers some much-deserved credit for cranking out the league-wide calendar – a truly mammoth task – early this offseason. A few extra weeks of notice can make all the difference for fans eager to plan their year around their team's slate, so expect the numbers of traveling supporters to continue to climb in '13. MLSsoccer.com's own Andrew Wiebe offered his take on the tastiest-looking matchups – what's your list?

D.C. United placed a bet of their own this week with the acquisition of promising Brazilian striker Rafael Teixeira de Souza as a young DP. You can just call him by his first name, though fans at his former club, Bahia, took to calling him "Gladiador" in a nod to his power, heart and finishing skills. If he can finish off a decent percentage of the many chances the United midfield typically creates, the Black-and-Red will be entertaining indeed.

The MLS Combine opens Friday in sunny South Florida, an event which over the years has been known to hurt some players' SuperDraft stock more than it helps others'. Nervousness and limited preparation time with mostly unfamiliar teammates can complicate the players' attempts to stand out from the crowd in three games over five days. But most clubs already have their favorites in mind, in which case only a few opinions really matter. Just ask Nick DeLeon, the talent who underwhelmed many scouts in last year's edition, but nonetheless earned D.C.'s trust and went on to carve out a banner rookie season.

4) The age-old draft question: Snag talent, or fill needs?

Most MLS coach-general manager types will tell you that they usually select "the best player available" when it's their turn to pick on draft day. This time around, that might not be as logical a choice as usual, given that it's a senior-heavy talent pool bursting with role players who've had four years of college ball to hone particular skills like left back or attacking winger. Then again, pro clubs rarely hesitate to slot youngsters into totally new positions.

WATCH: What will Chivas USA do on Jan. 17?

3) Has Chivas USA's re-embrace of "Pura Sangre" painted them into a corner in the SuperDraft?

Zavaleta is arguably the most game-ready, all-around talent on offer in this year's Generation adidas class, and he showed his class in leading Indiana to College Cup glory last month. His position at the pro level may depend on which MLS coaching staff gets their hands on him first.

1) Is Kekuta Manneh for real?

File this one under "truth is stranger than fiction." The shy Gambian teenager (full bio) has skyrocketed from youth goalscoring machine to GA contract nearly overnight, as his exploits with two Texas clubs in the US Soccer Development Academy convinced MLS officials that he's too promising a prospect to pass up. He's undersized and, to some, unproven, heightening the importance of his Combine performances.